Independent and impartial inspection services are more relevant than ever in the Middle East. Oil companies looking to reduce risk and increase the value of their operations can now call on Robinson Inspection Services’ new local team, recently established in Dubai
As Robinson Inspection Services approaches its first full year with a permanent presence in the region, Oil & Gas Middle East catches up with Dimitri Stephanou, group managing director and CEO of Robinson Inspection Services DMCC.
“Internationally we have been very active within the O&G sector. The Robinson International Group has inspection and laboratory testing facilities in Europe, The Americas, Africa and Asia and has experience working with most of the major multi-national Oil and Gas companies and trading houses in every marketplace,” explains Stephanou.
The company’s mainstay is its independent technical services in the field of inspection, cargo integrity surveillance, analysis, chemical consultancy, mineral ore sampling and assaying.
In addition, the company provides reports that are accepted by major oil corporations, commodity trading houses, international underwriters, banks and governments worldwide.
“The Robinson International Group was established in the United Kingdom in 1982 with a philosophy of total independence and impartiality.
As such, the Robinson International Group does not become involved in trading, manufacturing, transportation, shipping, insurance or any other activities which could be construed to affect its independence or impartiality,” says Stephanou.
The Group has extensive oil and gas inspection experience, as well as experience in pre-shipment inspection and all aspects of dry goods supervision. “We are also members of API, ASTM, GAFTA, FOSFA and the Sugar Association.
Through our strict guidelines and quality assurance procedures we create accountability, reduce corruption and increase revenue collection for the countries we operate in,” he says.
Stephanou adds that this is achieved by state of the art inspection measurement practices, perusal and collation of documents and liaison with all government authorities, banks and local customs.
The international reputation for thorough and independent reporting will help drive the company’s growth in the region, he says.
“The fundamentals of what we will offer in the Middle East will not deviate from all the
other global operating regions where we have established a local presence with expert staff and facilities.”
Robinson International has been active in the region in the past but has decided recently to grow its local operations by establishing a number of offices and lab facilities in the region.
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“We are drawing on the high level of expertise, customer service and attention to detail that Robinson International has delivered in the last 30 years of operating across most major markets to grow the local operations in the Middle East and other key strategic locations around the world,” Stephanou outlines.
“The decision to expand its operations in the Middle East is part of a broader two year plan that is being implemented to grow the business aggressively by establishing local presence in the key markets in the region,” he reveals.
Stephanou says the company’s typical client base is a mix of business for major oil companies, traders, ship owners and shipping agents, and that the split of business is currently around 50:50 between upstream and downstream work. The firm also has an impressive pedigree in the shipping of hydrocarbons.
“Our company has a proven track record of identifying causes that can contribute to a loss of product between loading and discharge and eliminating such problems to increase the value of national oil company operations,” he says.
“To maximise the efficiency of inspections, our surveyors attend the commencement of loading and discharge operations and remain on board the vessel until completion of the operations and continually monitor and inspect related shore side operations.”
Challenges
As a key exporter, the Middle East plays a pivotal role in the global economy in terms of supply and price of oil, which has a direct impact on capital currency and commodity markets worldwide.
“One of the key challenges we see is ensuring solid supply lines so that international market prices are maintained at sustainable levels. We can help the National Oil Companies in the region overcome those challenges by providing them with our core services that insure transparency and efficiency of operations through monitoring of production output and movement and certifying the quality and quantity of export products,” he says.
Local Market
When shopping around for a Middle East base to operate its regional business from, Stephanou says the UAE stood out as a strategic choice.
“We chose the UAE to establish the Robinson International regional headquarters because of its excellent infrastructure, its centric location for the region and its role as a hub to the East and West. From the UAE, we plan to establish and grow our local operations across the region to provide the best on the ground service to one of the most important oil and gas markets in the world.”
There is a handful of respected global inspection players and the major ones are typically represented in some capacity the Middle East. Stephanou says that Robinson Inspection Services intends to service the region with the highest level of quality and expertise that its international customers have come to expect from the Robinson International Group all over the globe.
“The fundamental philosophy that drives us is the adherence of our people to four simple and yet unshakable core values. Those core values are the foundations of our customer centric culture that is based on meeting and exceeding our customers’ expectations to receive the highest quality of service and reduce their risks,” he concludes.
The Man in Charge
Dimitri Stephanou is the Group Managing Director and CEO of Robinson Inspection Services DMCC, the operational subsidiary of Robinson International for the Middle East, Africa and other designated countries. Prior to Robinson, Stephanou was the Vice President of Information Systems at Arkan where he lead the
strategic and tactical planning and execution for nine business units spread across three geographical areas.
What’s on offer?
Robinson Inspection Services can provide local clients with:
• Bulk Oil Surveys
• Cargo Superintending
• Analytical Testing
• Insurance Claim Investigations
• Quality Assurance and Price Comparisons
• Stock/Inventory Audit at Refineries, Terminals and other Installations
• Loss and Contamination Investigations and Identification
• Analysis of Insurance Claims
• Demurrage Investigations and Claims
• Loss Control
• Petroleum Inspection (Q&Q Certification)
• Calibration & Flow Measurement
• Automated Bulk Liquid Sampling
• Marine Surveying
